Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to join with my colleagues on both sides of the House, as the current member for Reid, to acknowledge the outstanding service and life of a former member for Reid. It is a pleasure to support this condolence motion for the Hon. Tom Uren, AC.

I, some 16 months ago, made my maiden speech in this place. In talking about the honour and the humility of which I accepted the trust of the people of Reid, I mentioned some previous holders of the seat of Reid who I considered legends. One of them, of course, was Tom Uren. The status and gravitas of Tom is not lost on me. I mentioned in the maiden speech that I actually come from a Labor family. In the time when Tom was growing up in Balmain, my grandparents bought their first hotel—the first lease of their hotel—at Rozelle. And I know from stories that my father told me that Tom in those days, post World War II, was larger than life.

Tom was of course a Labor hero and a Balmain icon, but you do not need to move far in the inner west community for very long before you appreciate that his reputation and good work extended far beyond that Balmain peninsular. Members have noted how he spent his 21st birthday, and the following three birthdays, as a prisoner of war of the Japanese. Living through the horrors of the Burma-Thai railway, he dedicated his life to looking after others, particularly those within our community that needed a hand up.

In 1958 he entered federal parliament as the member for Reid and represented the electorate, which I have the honour of doing, for 31 years, leaving as Father of the House. I can confidently predict that I will be unable to match that record—if not by the people's hand, it will be by my wife's.

His role in preserving the heritage of Sydney is a legacy that will live on. He was a strong supporter of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and the preservation of much of the magnificent heritage architecture that we see today in my electorate and beyond can be in attributed in a large part to the work of Tom.

We have seen through the tributes of those on the other side, most notably that of Tom's good friend the Member for Grayndler, that Tom Uren was a great warrior for Labor, a great warrior for his community and a great Australian. However, perhaps most importantly he was a great friend and source of support to so many. People like Tom Uren do not come along often. And unfortunately in my 16 months here, we seem to be standing in this place honouring them far too often of late. Australia is the poorer for having lost him.

As the current member for Reid, I extend to his family my sincere gratitude for his service and my deepest condolences. He lived his 93 years to the absolute fullest whether fighting for his country and its sovereignty on the field of battle or in the halls of parliament, he made Australia a better place. May he rest in peace.

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